A Visual-Analogue Screening Tool for Assessing Mood and Quality of Daily Life Complications in Family Members of People Living With Cancer: Portuguese Version of the Emotion Thermometers: Burden Version

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 264-269
Author(s):  
Neide P. Areia ◽  
Alex Mitchell ◽  
Gabriela Fonseca ◽  
Sofia Major ◽  
Ana P. Relvas
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Distress Screening ◽  
Entire Family ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Emotional Upset ◽  
Living With Cancer

Cancer is a disease that impacts not only the patient but also affects the entire family. Family members experience high levels of distress. Therefore, screening for cancer-specific distress among family members of people with cancer is important but relatively unexplored. This cross-sectional study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of a screening tool for family members of people with cancer. We examined the usefulness of the emotional thermometers burden version (ET-BV) in detecting caregiver emotional distress. The ET-BV is a simple multidomain visual analogue scale distributed in two major domains: “emotional upset” and “impact.” A total of 364 cancer patients’ family members completed the ET-BV and Brief Symptom Inventory. Analyses were aimed to examine the diagnostic accuracy (receiver operating characteristic) of the ET-BV. A fair to good diagnostic accuracy was achieved for ET-BV. For emotional upset thermometers, a cutoff of ≥5 was determined and for impact thermometers, a cutoff of ≥4 was established. ET-BV seems to be a useful, quick, and simple tool for distress screening in family members of people with cancer. A revision of a specific thermometer is discussed in order to increase ET screening performance and clinical utility.

scholarly journals Distress Screening among Patients with Hematological Malignancies: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (228) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bishal Paudel ◽  
Bishnu Dutta Paudel ◽  
Rupesh Mishra ◽  
Onika Karki ◽  
Rukmini Shahi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hematological Malignancies ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Distress Screening ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Distress Score

Introduction: Distress is a major concern during diagnosis and treatment of hematological malignancies. The Distress Thermometer is a commonly used screening tool to detect distress. The objectives of this study was to know the prevalence and identify distress score among patients with hematological malignancies in Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out at the Hematology Unit of Civil Service Hospital after obtaining an ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (reference number 931/076/077). A convenient sampling technique was used for this study. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0 was used. All patients within one week of diagnosis and before the start of definitive treatment of hematological malignancies were included in the study. National Comprehensive Cancer Network Psychosocial Distress Screening Tool was used to measure the seriousness of distress. Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled in the study, among them 56 (56%) were male and 44 (44%) were female. The mean distress score in our study was found to be 5.68±1.75. Mean distress score among male and female patients were 5.84±1.65 and 5.48±1.86 respectively. Thirty three percentage (n=33) of patient had mild distress whereas, sixty six percentage (n=67) of patients experienced moderate to severe distress. Conclusions: There was a significant level of distress among the patients with hematological malignancies in Nepal. Therefore, distress screening should be done to all the patients when initial diagnosis is made.  

Perceived social support and burden of care of male and female caregivers of patient with schizophrenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Narendra Kumar Singh ◽  
Nishant Goyal
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Burden Of Care ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Difference

Background: Schizophrenia is associated with a high familial, social and economic burden. Schizophrenia is also associated with a high level of disability which may create impediments on the social and economic areas of the patients as well as on their respective family networks. Families with schizophrenia may encounter problems such as impairment of health and well being of other family members, restriction of social activities of the family members and shrinking of support from the social network. Aims: The present study examined the difference in perceived social support and burden of care between the male and female caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study examining the difference in perceived social support and burden of care between the male and female caregivers of patients with schizophrenia. The sample consisted of 60 (30 male and 30 female) caregivers of the patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia as per ICD-10-DCR. Results and Conclusion: This study revealed that male caregivers perceived more social support and less burden of care as compared to female caregivers. Key words: Gender, social support, burden

scholarly journals Role of human epididymis protein 4 for detection of ovarian carcinoma in adnexal masses: A pilot study

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nidhi Bansal ◽  
A. Suneja ◽  
K. Guleria ◽  
N. B. Vaid ◽  
K. Mishra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Ca 125 ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adnexal Masses ◽  
Good Discriminator ◽  
Risk Of Malignancy ◽  
Risk Of Malignancy Index ◽  
Benign Tumours

Introduction: HE4 is a novel tumour biomarker used for early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of HE4 alone and in combination with CA125, risk of malignancy index (RMI), risk of malignancy algorithm (ROMA). Methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted recruiting 88 women with adnexal masses who were planned for surgery. After baseline work up and ultrasound examination, serum samples were collected for estimation of CA 125 and HE4 levels. Serum HE4 levels were estimated using ELISA kit. RMI and ROMA score were calculated and diagnostic accuracy of HE4, CA 125, RMI, ROMA and their combination were compared. Cut off for HE4 and ROMA score were calculated using ROC curve. Results: Of 88 subjects, 66 were analyzed with 19 malignant (including 5 LMP) and 47 benign cases. The median value of HE4 among malignant cases was found to be significantly higher than among the benign cases. PPV and NPV of HE4 at a cut off 130.8 pMol/ml was 85.7% and 77.9% respectively. Highest PPV (88.9%) with acceptable NPV (80.7%) was found with ROMA followed by HE4 (PPV 85.7%; NPV 77.97%), RMI (PPV 76.92%; NPV 83%) and CA125 (PPV 52%; NPV 80.85%). Conclusion: HE4 levels were lower in Indian population both in malignant and benign tumours as compared to other studies. HE4 is a good discriminator and gives best accuracy when it is combined with CA125 in a logistic algorithm, ROMA.

Nutrient supplementation among pregnant women in China: an observational study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Tao Han ◽  
Jingwen Dong ◽  
Jiangtao Zhang ◽  
Chenxiao Zhang ◽  
Yuxuan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Folic Acid ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Nutrient Supplementation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Source Of Information

Abstract Objective: To clarify nutrient supplementation usage and primary source of information among pregnant women in China. Design: This cross-sectional study used information on nutrient supplementation and primary source of information collected via face-to-face interviews. Data on the usage of folic acid, calcium/vitamin D, iron, vitamins, docosahexaenoic acid, and other dietary supplements were collected. Primary source of information were categorized as family/relatives, friends/co-workers, the Internet, books/magazines, television/radio, doctors, other people, and oneself. Setting: Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Chengdu, China. Participants: 1081 Chinese pregnant women aged ≥ 20 years with singleton pregnancies. Results: In all three trimesters of pregnancy, usage was highest and most stable for folic acid (81.7%), followed by vitamins (vitamin A, B-group vitamins, vitamin C, and multivitamins; 75.0%), whereas calcium/vitamin D (51.4%) and iron (18.1%) usage was low, potentially indicating a deficiency risk. All supplementation usage percentages increased with pregnancy duration (p < 0.05). Notably, approximately 10% of the pregnant women in our study did not use any nutrient supplementation, and this was especially common in early pregnancy. More than 50% of the women reported getting information on nutrient supplementation from family members, and about 30% reported getting this information from doctors. Conclusions: Among pregnant women in China, awareness about nutrient supplementation increases as the pregnancy progresses, but some types of nutrient supplementation (such as calcium/vitamin D and iron) remain at low levels. It is necessary to pay more attention to the health education of pregnant women in China, and the influence of family members should be emphasized.

scholarly journals Psychopathology and Somatic Complaints: A Cross-Sectional Study with Portuguese Adults

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 478
Author(s):  
Joana Proença Becker ◽  
Rui Paixão ◽  
Manuel João Quartilho
Keyword(s):  
Early Detection ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Brief Symptom Inventory ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychopathological Symptoms ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
The Impact

(1) Background: Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) are physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by medical diagnosis, injuries, and medication intake. More than the presence of unexplained symptoms, this condition is associated with functional disabilities, psychological distress, increased use of health services, and it has been linked to depressive and anxiety disorders. Recognizing the difficulty of diagnosing individuals with FSS and the impact on public health systems, this study aimed to verify the concomitant incidence of psychopathological symptoms and FSS in Portugal. (2) Methods: For this purpose, 93 psychosomatic outpatients (91.4% women with a mean age of 53.9 years old) and 101 subjects from the general population (74.3% women with 37.8 years old) were evaluated. The survey questionnaire included the 15-item Patient Health Questionnaire, the 20-Item Short Form Survey, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and questions on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. (3) Results: Increases in FSS severity were correlated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. The findings also suggest that increased rates of FSS are associated with lower educational level and female gender. (4) Conclusion: Being aware of the relationship between FSS and psychopathological symptoms and the need to explore psychosocial issues during clinical interviews may favor early detection of these cases. The early detection of mental disorders is essential for individuals’ adherence to treatments, reflecting on healthcare costs.

scholarly journals Diagnostic accuracy of symptoms as a diagnostic tool for SARS-CoV 2 infection: a cross-sectional study in a cohort of 2,173 patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Alfonso Romero-Gameros ◽  
Tania Colin-Martínez ◽  
Salomón Waizel-Haiat ◽  
Guadalupe Vargas-Ortega ◽  
Eduardo Ferat-Osorio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
World Health ◽  
Likelihood Ratios ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Background The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to be a priority health problem; According to the World Health Organization data from October 13, 2020, 37,704,153 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported, including 1,079,029 deaths, since the outbreak. The identification of potential symptoms has been reported to be a useful tool for clinical decision-making in emergency departments to avoid overload and improve the quality of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performances of symptoms as a diagnostic tool for SARS -CoV-2 infection. Methods An observational, cross-sectional, prospective and analytical study was carried out, during the period of time from April 14 to July 21, 2020. Data (demographic variables, medical history, respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms) were collected by emergency physicians. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was made using SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. The diagnostic accuracy of these characteristics for COVID-19 was evaluated by calculating the positive and negative likelihood ratios. A Mantel-Haenszel and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of symptoms with COVID-19. Results A prevalence of 53.72% of SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed. The symptom with the highest sensitivity was cough 71%, and a specificity of 52.68%. The symptomatological scale, constructed from 6 symptoms, obtained a sensitivity of 83.45% and a specificity of 32.86%, taking ≥2 symptoms as a cut-off point. The symptoms with the greatest association with SARS-CoV-2 were: anosmia odds ratio (OR) 3.2 (95% CI; 2.52–4.17), fever OR 2.98 (95% CI; 2.47–3.58), dyspnea OR 2.9 (95% CI; 2.39–3.51]) and cough OR 2.73 (95% CI: 2.27–3.28). Conclusion The combination of ≥2 symptoms / signs (fever, cough, anosmia, dyspnea and oxygen saturation < 93%, and headache) results in a highly sensitivity model for a quick and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19, and should be used in the absence of ancillary diagnostic studies. Symptomatology, alone and in combination, may be an appropriate strategy to use in the emergency department to guide the behaviors to respond to the disease. Trial registration Institutional registration R-2020-3601-145, Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks 17 CI-09-015-034, National Bioethics Commission: 09 CEI-023-2017082.

scholarly journals Linking cardiorespiratory fitness classification criteria to early subclinical atherosclerosis in children

2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Melo ◽  
Helena Santa-Clara ◽  
Diana A. Santos ◽  
Nuno M. Pimenta ◽  
Cláudia S. Minderico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Arterial Wall ◽  
Operating Characteristic ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽  
Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
High Resolution Ultrasonography

It is unclear if cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can be used as a screening tool for premature changes in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in paediatric populations. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was 3-fold: (i) to determine if CRF can be used to screen increased cIMT; (ii) to determine an optimal CRF cut-off to predict increased cIMT; and (iii) to evaluate its ability to predict increased cIMT among children in comparison with existent CRF cut-offs. cIMT was assessed with high-resolution ultrasonography and CRF was determined using a maximal cycle test. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted in boys (n = 211) and girls (n = 202) aged 11–12 years to define the optimal sex-specific CRF cut-off to classify increased cIMT (≥75th percentile). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between the CRF cut-offs with the risk of having an increased cIMT. The optimal CRF cut-offs to predict increased cIMT were 45.81 and 34.46 mL·kg−1·min−1 for boys and girls, respectively. The odds-ratios for having increased cIMT among children who were unfit was up to 2.8 times the odds among those who were fit (95% confidence interval: 1.40–5.53). Considering current CRF cut-offs, only those suggested by Adegboye et al. 2011. (Br. J. Sports Med. 45(9): 722–728) and Boddy et al. 2012 (PLoS One, 7(9): e45755) were significant in predicting increased cIMT. In conclusion, CRF cut-offs (boys: ≤ 45.8; girls: ≤ 34.5 mL·kg−1·min−1) are associated with thickening of the arterial wall in 11- to 12-year-old children. Low CRF is an important cardiovascular risk factor in children and our data highlight the importance of obtaining an adequate CRF.

scholarly journals Correction to: Mental health status among family members of health care workers in Ningbo, China, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuchen Ying ◽  
Liemin Ruan ◽  
Fanqian Kong ◽  
Binbin Zhu ◽  
Yunxin Ji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Care Workers

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Diagnostic Accuracy of HRCT Chest in Detection of Covid-19 Infection Taking PCR as Gold Standard

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1679-1681
Author(s):  
Afaque Ali ◽  
Majid Shaikh ◽  
Ahsanullah . ◽  
Adeel Ahmed ◽  
Abid Ali Sahito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Radiology Department ◽  
High Resolution Computed Tomography ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Head Of Department

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest in detection of covid-19 infection taking PCR as gold standard. Study Design: Cross-sectional study Setting: Radiology department of Tabba Hospital, Karachi. Duration: From March 2019 to September 2020 Material and Methods: All the clinically suspected patients of covid-19, of any age, both genders and those referred to radiology for High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest to detect the covid-19 infection were included. After two days, patients’ PCR reports were collected from the ward, after taking informed consent and permission from head of department. The diagnostic accuracy of HRCT was established with respect to sensitivity, PPV, NPV, and specificity by taking PCR as gold standard. All the information was collected via study proforma. Results: Total 70 patients suspected for COVID-19 were studied, and the patients’ mean age was 58.23±9.52 years. Males were in majority 54(77.1%). As per HRCT findings, COVID-19 infection was positive in 46 patients, however, 48 patients were detected positive for COVID-19 infection as per PCR findings. In the detection of COVID-19 infection, HRCT chest showed sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 90%, PPV of 83%, NPV of 84% and diagnostic accuracy of 94%; by taking PCR as gold standard. Conclusion: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is a reliable diagnostic approach in promptly detecting the COVID-19; with 91% sensitivity, 90% specificity, 83% positive predictive value, 84% negative predictive value and 94% diagnostic accuracy. Keywords: Accuracy, HRCT, COVID-19

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